The West Rutland Marsh-Whipple Hollow Trail is a new hotspot within West Rutland Marsh, built in two phases by Rutland County Audubon, the Town of West Rutland, and the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps. A third phase is planned for the future.

The trail gives a different look at West Rutland Marsh, away from the cattail portion, and instead provides an opportunity to explore a combination of a wooded swamp, pines, and a wet meadow. The one-way distance is about one mile.

A parking area is located along Whipple Hollow Road at the site of the old West Rutland Town dump. A short path before the gate leads you to the first boardwalk which traverses a wooded swamp. The trail then moves into a “pine island” before the second boardwalk through a wooded swamp. The trail then opens to a meadow and continues for a short distance. And at the end, you can either turn round to return the way you came or walk back via Whipple Hollow Road. Before doing so, there is a short uphill path to a hill overlooking the marsh.

West Rutland Marsh is a long, narrow, and extensive cattail marsh and associated upland fields along the Castleton River just north of the town of West Rutland. It is bordered and crossed by roads on all sides and by old marble quarries on the east. Natural Communities include Cattail Marsh and Buttonbush Swamp.

Parts of the West Rutland Marsh have been protected at both the local and state levels. However, the marsh has been used perennially as a dump. Rutland County Audubon has conducted annual clean-up days and has initiated “Marsh Appreciation Day” in conjunction with a citizen committee and the town government. A new boardwalk for wildlife viewing was installed in 2003. The proximity of housing and some industry is always a potential source of water pollution. Development is another potential problem for the marsh.

West Rutland Marsh (Birdability) webpage